Snap fastener apparatus



y 4, 1967 J. w. MITCHELL ETAL 3,329,112

SNAP FASTENER APPARATUS Filed June 1963 4- Sheets-Sheet l FIG. I

L: /as 36- r "1 PR'] :5 :::5 L is iii? FIG. 2 PW; 54'? INVENTORS JOHN w. MITCHELL ARTHURCBERGERON Ylfhu/ ATTORNEYS y 1957 J. w. MITCHELL ETAL 3,329,312

SNAP FASTENER APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 5, 1963 INVENTORS JOHN W. MITCHELL ARTHUR C.

B BERGERON W W I ATTORNEY July 4, 1967 J. w. MITCHELL ETAL 3,329,112

SNAP FASTENER APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 1963 FIG. 8

FIG. 9

FIG. IO

I2 EZ BJINIIIIIII 2O 2 I9 2 l3 INVENTORS JOHN W. MITCHEL ARTHUR L QBERGERON 79 ATTORNEYS July 4, 1967 J. w. MITCHELL ETAL 3,329,112

SNAP FASTENER APPARATUS F'iled June 15, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. II

INVENTORS JOHN Wv MITCHELL BY ARTHUR C.BERGERON ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,329,112 SNAP FASTENER APPARATUS John W. Mitchell, Somerset, and Arthur C. Bergeron, Seekonk, Mass., assignors to A. J. Mitchell C0., Fall River, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed June 3, 1963, Ser. No. 284,997 15 Claims. (Cl. 112-113) Our invention relates to a snap feeding apparatus adapted to feed male and female mating fasteners in a predetermined sequence to a sewing means. In particular, our invention relates to an attachment for feeding sew-on male and female snap fasteners in a desired sequence and properly oriented to a sewing machine. More particularly, our invention concerns an improved attachment for automatically feeding snap sew-on male and female fasteners to a sewing machine by automatically feeding, orienting, selecting, and positioning the snap fastener in any desired feeding sequence to a sewing machine.

It is an object of our invention to provide an attachment for sewing machines which is capable of feeding snap fasteners to the sewing machine at a rapid rate, in an efficient manner, and in a properly oriented position.

Another object is to provide a snap feeding attachment to a sewing machine which attachment feeds male and female fasteners thereto in a coordinated and integrated manner fully automatic in operation.

Another object is to provide a snap feeding attachment to a sewing machine which minimizes the period of time I required to properly orient and sew on a single fastener and its mating part and thereby enhances the production output of a sewing machine to which it is applied.

Another object is to provide a snap fastening feeding apparatus which in operative combination with a sewing machine affords the sewing machine operator a better view of the work area surrounding the sewing machine.

Another object is to provide an improved male and female sew-on snap feeding means capable of rapidly and efficiently orienting and aligning the .snap fasteners for feeding to a raceway.

Another object of our invention to to provide an improved snap fastener transfer holder which is capable of enhancing the ease and efficiency of transferring snap fasteners from the nest of a snap feeding apparatus to a sewing machine clamp in a sewing position.

A further object of our invention is to provide an escapement means to control the feeding and stopping of the stacked fasteners in a raceway as desired.

A further object of our invention is to provide an indexing means whereby properly oriented male and female snap fasteners in separate raceways may be fed in a pre- 9 determined sequential arrangement to a single feeding raceway.

A further object of our invention is to provide an improved nesting means on the snap fastening apparatus which promotes better clearance in the noninterference of the sewing operation, and the better positioning of garments in the work area. Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a square male and female sew-0n snap fastener.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a snap feeding attachment constructed in accordance with our invention.

FIGURE 3 is a top view of a dual hopper feeding assembly.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view along line 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 3.

3,329,112 Patented July 4, 1967 FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view along line 6-6 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view along line 7-7 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 8 is a top view of an escapement and indexing assembly.

FIGURE 9 is a side view of an escapement and indexing assembly.

FIGURE 10 is a bottom view of an escapement and indexing assembly.

FIGURE 11 is a side view of a nest and carrier assembly showing a snap fastener in the nest.

FIGURE 12 is a top view of a nest and carrier assembly of FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 13 is a top view of a carrier assembly in a snap fastener receiving position.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a square sew-on male and female snap fastener 20 and 22 in a properly oriented position for sewing on a fabric, the snap fasteners to be sewed on one side of a fabric strip or opening normally in one operation and the opposing fasteners to be sewed on the opposite side of the closure to provide for the mating engagement of the male and female snap fastener. The male and female fasteners are to be characterized respectively by a noncircular or a square base 24 and 28 having four or a plurality of sewing apertures in the base whereby the snap is secured to the fabric bythe sewing thread or other means. Snap fastener 20 is characterized by an engaging protrusion 26 while fastener 22 is characterized by the receiving receptacle 30. Unlike a flat disc-like sew-on button, these snaps must be properly oriented both in the horizontal plane, and as to whether the protrusion 26 or receptacle 30 is up or down. Further, since snap fasteners are normally required to be varied as to male and female fasteners on the same garment strip, these fasteners should be fed in a predetermined desired sequence for sewing on the garment with the proper opposite sequence for sewing on the opposing garment strip. It is thus apparent that unique problems in orientation and sequence feedings are present in sew-on fasteners than with relatively flat sew-on buttons.

A snap feeding attachment constructed in accordance with our invention is shown in the enclosed drawings and particularly in FIGURE 2 in connection with a conventional sewing machine. The sewing machine of which i the base is shown in outline at 31 contains the usual horizontally opposed snap fastener holding or clamping jaws adapted to receive one fastener at a. time and hold it on a fabric in a proper position for sewing to the fabric. The clamping or holding jaws of the sewing machine are spring biased to a clamping position, but can be spread apart to engage or release a snap fastener. The jaws are arranged to move vertically between an intermediate position in which they are adapted to receive the snap, to a first elevated position to clear the jaws and snap over the prongs of a carrier as it returns to the nest, an intermediate position to assist in properly positioning the material below the snap, a depressed position to permit the snap to be sewed on a fabric, and a secured elevated position during cutting or to break the sewing thread and to allow the carrier to come forward with the next snap. The sewing machine also normally includes a jaw opening means having a pivotal control arm whose actuation contacts and opens the jaws to provide for the release of the fastener. An alternate type of fastener sewing machine may be used that cuts the thread beneath the fastener after it has been sewed on the fabric.

The snap feeding apparatus 32 includes a base 34 mounted on screw adjustable legs 36 and is adapted to be mounted on a supporting table 38 on the right-hand side of a sewing machine slightly to the rear of the clamping jaws of the base 31. Attached to the base on the right-. hand side is a driven control unit 40 by which the operations of the various elements of the snap feeding apparatus are coordinated in a timed relationship with the sewing machine, which control unit is driven by an electric motor 42. The control unit is described in detail in US. Patent 2,921,544 dated Jan. 19, 1960, the disclosure and drawings of which are hereby incorporated by refercence in the present application. We have modified the control unit 40 to some extent as hereinafter described in more detail; such as by removal of the chain and crank which actuates the vertical spindle. However, the control unit does not constitute any material part of the present invetnion and a detailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary. The single revoluion clutch of the control unit is uncontrolled in an engaging and disengaging position by pull rod 104 attached to a pedal or other manually operated control means. Pull rod 136 is linked to the sewing machine clamping jaw mechanism and provides the desired sequential operation of the clamping jaws of the sewing machine; that is, to raise and lower the clamping jaws to the various positions heretofore described. Pull rod 164 is connected to the clutch actuating means of the sewing machine such as the pedal rod of the sewing machine which initiates the snap sewing operation. When rod 164 is released or pulled upwardly the sewing machine drive clutch is engaged, and a sewing operation is initiated. When the operation is completed, the sewing machine clutch automatically disengages itself. A horizontally mounted sewing machine clamp release arm 150 has a free end (not shown) which engages and actuates a clamping jaw release on the sewing machine, when the release arm 151) is pivoted in a horizontal clockwise direction. The same identical numerals have been used by my drawings as in the patent in order to provide proper association between the common relative parts. Lever control arm 88 of the control unit has one end attached to the escapement and indexing mechanism and the other end is pivoted on a 90 shaft having a cam roller riding on a snap indexing operation cam to provide reciprocating downward motion to the indexing lever while spring 228 returns the arm to the upper position. Snap stop arm 44 provides vertical reciprocating movement to operate the clamp opening plunger assembly and to raise and lower a pivoted detent arm in the common raceway which controls the feeding of snaps to the nest. A manual operating knob 86 permits manual adjustment and control of the unit 40. The snap feeding apparatus 32 includes a hopper feeding assembly, escapement and indexing assembly, and a nest and carrier assembly. The hopper feeding assembly comprises a male and female hopper 46 and 43 both having detachable covers, which rotary hoppers contain respectively a source of male and female square sew-on snap fasteners of the type described in FIGURE 1, which are fed from the hopper feeding assembly to a 60 downwardly inclined upper male raceway 48 and a lower female raceway 50 to a common single track raceway 56. Each hopper contains within it a plurality of downwardly angularly disposed brushes mounted on center shafts 74 and 76 respectively. These brushes are mounted for intermittent counterclockwise movement. The center shafts 74 and 76 of each hopper are driven by motor 42 which drives pulley 82 of the control units 40, while a driven pulley 60 is mounted on a cam shaft 80, which pulley through belt 62, an idler 64, and a pulley 66 rotates center shaft 76, while center shaft 74 is rotated through belt 68 on pulleys 70 and 72. The pulleys and belts are enclosed for safety purposes within an external housing shield 78.

Pivotally mounted above the male and female raceway is a male and a female escapement assembly 52 and 54, each of which escapements has an upper and lower stop arranged to be sequentially raised and lowered to provide for the proper stopping and feeding of the appropriate snap fastener down the raceway 48 or 50 to the common raceway 56, and hence to the nest in response to the position of pivoting toes in the indexing cams assembly. These cams are indexed in response to the downwardly movement of the cam operated index arm 88. At the lower end, the common raceway 56 curves smoothly into a snap receiving nest assembly. Mounted above the common raceway 56 is a pivotal detention arm 270 having a finger stop tensionally disposed in the center of the common raceway 56, which stop provides for the timed feeding of the snap in the raceway to the nest by the vertical upward and downward reciprocating motion of the snap stop arm 44, while an adjustable screw stop 98 on the arm 44 strikes crank lever 310 to rotate gears on the plunger assembly thereby opening and closing a carrier clamp.

In an extended position in the registry with the nest 58 is a carrier assembly which includes a snap loading base 102 containing a snap between two snap-engaging prongs, one of which is spring-biased. A horizontally disposed transfer arm serves as a means of conveying the snap from the nest to the clamping jaws of the sewing machine. The transfer arm 110 has a pantographic linkage for horizontal arcuate movement substantially parallel to the axis of the sewing machine. The transfer arm 110 moves the snap loading assembly from an aligned position immediately to the rear of the nest 58 where the jaws are opened, to a snap receiving position, where the prongs seize the snap, to an intermediate position in the front of the nest 58, and hence to a snap sew-on position to the jaws of the sewing machine. The sew-on snap feeding attachment having been generally described with particular reference to FIGURES 1 and 2 will now be described with reference to the hopper feeding assembly, the escapement and indexing assembly and the nest and carrier assembly.

Hopper feeding assembly FIGURES 3, 4, and 5 show a male hopper 46, which includes a center rotary shaft 74 adapted to impart counterclockwise intermittent motion to downwardly disposed brush shafts having at the one end stiff bristles 121 in brushing contact with the outer wall 124 and the periphery of the hopper base 123. The hopper base is characterized further by a circular recessed fiat track 122 along the outer periphery having a width equal to or slightly greater than the base width of the male snaps 20 in the hopper, and has a depth somewhat less than the depth of the snap base 24. The side wall 124 of the hopper is characterized by a gate opening 130, comprising an inverted T-shape with the base of the T at the level of the grooved track 122 and of sufficient size and shape to permit the passage of the male snap fasteners 20 from the hopper feeding means to the opening of the male raceway 48. Disposed within the hopper and in line with the lower lip of the gate opening and transverse to the grooved track 122 is a Hat raised stop rigidly held by a recessed hexagonal screw 127. This stop has a depth the same as or slightly greater than the depth of the base 24 and sufiicient to prevent the fasteners from being easily brushed over the top of the stop 126 yet low enough to stop one fastener at a time. The forward edge 128 of the stop 126 is flush with the trailing edge of the opening 130 to the male raceway 48, which raceway has grooved sides 132 and 133 and a flat base 131 adapted to receive the properly oriented male fasteners from the gate opening 130.

FIGURES 3, 6, and 7 show a female hopper 43, which includes a rotary center shaft 76, brush shafts 136, brush bristles 138, a base 139 and a circular side wall 140, The recessed grooved track 141 of the female hopper is a flat grooved track 141 similar to the male grooved track 122, but characterized by a center channel 142 of sufficient depth to receive the receptor 30 of the female snaps 22. The flush stop 144 is held by screw 145, has a forward edge 147, as in the male hopper, transverse to the groove track 141 and has the forward edge 147 flush with and approximately radial or perpendicular to the opening 149 of the female raceway 50 which raceway is characterized by a flat base 152 and grooved sides 146 and 148 in which the properly oriented female snaps are slidably disposed. The grooved sides 146 and 148 are raised sufficiently high to permit the clearance of the receptor 30 above the flat base 152. The side wall 140 of the female hopper has a -shaped gate opening 149 adapted to permit the emergence of the female snap fasteners 22 from the edge 147 of the stop 144 to the opening of the raceway in the properly oriented position; that is, with the receptor 30 downwardly disposed in the female raceway 50.

By our hopper feeding assembly the male and female 22 snap fasteners or other rectangular shaped objects with vertically disposed protuberances properly oriented within each hopper in an opposite but mating fashion as to the position of the protuberance 24 or receptor and the snap is squared before feeding to the raceway 48 or 50. In operation, the rotating brushes 120 and 136 disturb the snaps 20 and 22 in the hoppers placing all snaps in the gnooved tracks 122 and 141 adjacent to hopper walls 124 and 140 as in FIGURES 5 and 7, and due to the nature of the tracks 122 and 141 displaces all snaps not properly oriented as to protuberance 26 or receptor 30. In FIGURES 5 and 7 there are shown properly oriented snaps together with snaps 20a and 22a which are not properly oriented, and which will be brushed over the stops 126 and 144. Prior to emerging from the respective T or inverted T openings 130 or 149 to the raceways 48 and 50, the bases of the snaps are squared against the forward edges 128 and 147 of the respective stops as shown in FIGURES 4, 6, and 8, so that the first or at least the second brush action or contact against the snaps will sweep the snap through the gate opening and into the raceway properly oriented. The first brush action with a snap places the snapin the groove and sometimes also squares the snap against the stop and pushes it through the gate opening. In the event the first brush action is not successful in squaring the snap, when the snap is in the groove and adjacent the stop, the second brush action squares the snap and pushes the snap through the raceway opening. Our arrangement thereby permits the snaps to be properly oriented in a correct position before leaving the respective hopper source. The T opening 149 of the female hopper and the inverted T gate 130 opening of the male hopper are selected gate openings conforming to the shape and proper position for the snaps. These gate openings together with the flush edge of the stops prevent the emergence of any snaps that are not properly oriented or squared. Our improved hopper feeding assembly thereby permits an approximate 90 change in direction from the feed line of travel or motion in the hopper to the line of travel of the raceway with the snaps properly oriented both in a horizontal and vertical direction.

Escapement and indexing assembly The snap fasteners properly oriented within their respective raceways 48 and are gravity fed down each raceway to a male 52 and female 54 escapement assembly for preselected individual feed to the commond raceway 56 by means of an indexing mechanism for selection of the proper combination of male, and female or all male and all female snaps. The indexing and escapement assembly shown permits the selection of one female and one male snap in an alternating sequence feed arrangement.

FIGURES 8, 9, and 10 show the escapement and indexing assembly which includes U-shaped male and female pivot stop members 164 and 165 characterized at one end by a downwardly projecting male and female vertical fingers 166 and 167, and slightly tapered at the other end to fit into slotted ends of a male and female pivot legs 53 and 55. The male and female pivot stops 164 and 165 pivot about pivot nuts 172 and 174 attached to brackets 176 and 178 fastened to the attachment base 41. The inverted L-shaped male and female pivot legs 53 and 55 are characterized by being slotted at the one end 180 and 182 to permit the tapered ends of the male and female pivot stops 164 and 165 to be engaged there with the male and female pivot legs 53 and 55 pivoting about pivot nuts 184 and 186 attached to brackets 188 and 190 fastened to the attachment base 41. The other ends of the male and female pivot legs 53 and 55 are characterized by projecting toe members 192 and 194 which are spring biased in a forward position by coiled cylindrical springs 196 and 198 in a housing 197, which springs expansively urged the respective toe members toward male and female cams 200 and 202. Above each raceway and in line with and slightly forward of the male and female stop fingers 166 and 167 are downwardly projecting male and female stops 205 and 207 which are slidably mounted on and screw adjustable to the male and female pivot legs 53 and 55. These stops are thus arranged to be downwardly disposed in a retaining position in their respective raceway in alternating sequence with their respective finger stops 166 and 167.

The indexing cams 200 and 202 comprise a plurality of equally spaced uniform rounded square projecting lugs and intervening spaces with each cam arranged in the alternating sequence feed to have a projecting lug fall adjacent the space of the opposing and adjacent ca'm. If desired one cam may be a solid cam so that all of one type of snaps may be fed to the common raceway 56. The cam edges are adjacent to and aligned with the respective toe members 192 and 194. Mounted on a shaft member 204 with the cams 200 and 202 are: a knurled knob 206 for manual adjustments of the indexing cam; spacer washers 211, 212, and 213; bracket holders 214 and 215 which provide support for the shaft 204 to the bottom of base 41; a washer 217; and a retaining nut 218 on the threaded end of the shaft 204. On shaft 204 is also mounted an angular toothed ratchet wheel 224 adjacent to a solid humped triangular rotatable member 221 having an L shaped pivoted pawl lever arm 220 pivoted about and attached to a pivot screw 219 on one side of the member 221. One end of the pawl lever arm rests in the angular teeth of the ratchet wheel 224, tached to a coiled cylindrical spring 222 fastened to 221 whereby the pawl lever arm 220 is urged forwardly into the teeth of the ratchet wheel 224. A 90 twisted arm 226 spring biased by spring 228 in a rearward position and direction which spring has the other end attached to the underside of the base 41, is pivotably attached at 227 to the solid humped member 221. A notched T slide pivot arm 230 is pivotably connected to the base 41 at the one end by screw 231, and pivotably attached near the other end by connecting pin 229 to twisted member 226. Pivot arm 230 has a rearward notch holding a projection pin 232 connected to a flat T slide bar member 234. The T end of the slidable bar member 234 is disposed in front of and holds the projecting toe members 192 and 194 in rearward position while the other end has a headed pin 233 in an elongated slot, and which permits the T slide member 234 to slide within the slot limits. In this manner driving arm 226, the pivot arm 230, and the T slide bar 234 are held in a rearward rest position.

The pivot arm 230 is actuated by lever control arm 88 which by exerting in a timed cyclic alternating reciprocating manner a forward dowward force horizontal to the base 41 overcomes the spring tension of return spring 228. This action permits the T slide bar 234 to move forward and the toe members 192 and 194 to move inward toward the respective cams 200 and 202. The toe members opposite the spaces of the cam can move into the space, while the other toe member strikes a projecting lug of the other cam. This forward action also moves the one end of the pawl lever arm 220 to the next ratchet on the ratchet wheel 224. When the pivot arm 230 is returned to its neutral spring biased rearward position by terminawhile the other end is attion of the horizontal downward force of arm 88, the ratchet wheel 224 is then indexed in a counter-clockwise direction one ratchet, and the members 236, 230 and 234 are returned to their spring biased condition, thereby permitting the toe members 192 and 194 to return to their previous aligned position.

For example, toe member 192 is permitted to enter the space of cam 200 as shown, when the pivot arm 230 is moved forward, but the index cam 200 cannot displace at this time. The forward movement of the toe member 192 into a space of the cam 200 permits the male pivot leg 53 to pivot about 184 raising the slotted end 180 and placing finger 166 downwardly into the center cavity of the raceway 48 to prevent the forward gravity movement of snap 201). This action raises the projection on stop 205 to release snap 20a to permit this snap to move downwardly in raceway 48 to the common raceway 56. The rearward return movement of pivot arm 230 and indexes the cams to the next position, that is, places a lug opposite the toe member 192, and slidably returns the T slide bar member 234 to the rear together with toe members 192 and 194. This action whereby toe member 192 is moved rearwardly out of the cam space displaces male pivot leg 53, lowers the slotted end 180, raises finger 166 out of the raceway 48 path, lowers stop member 205, and permits the snap 20b previously held by finger 166 to slide forward to be retained by stop 205 and ready to be released during the next indexing cycle. The action is also similar for the escapement and indexing of female snaps.

Thus, the sequential, automatic, or manual forward movement of the pivot member 230 provides for the escapement and indexing of these snap fasteners in any desired sequence. Of course, by proper selection of the cam members any desired sequence of male or female fasteners can be arranged to be released.

Nest and carrier assembly The inclined common raceway 56 terminates in a nest 58 which includes an L shaped angular base 250, one end rigidly attached by bolt 252 to the base 41 and the other end characterized by a narrow projecting 120 blunt concaved finger 251 horizontal to the support 38, and an upper projecting .fingers 254 and 256 on either side of the lower end of the raceway 56 above the base 250. A pivot support bracket 258 is rigidly secured at the one end of the base 41 on one side of the raceway 56, said support member including a shaft 260 threaded at either end; spacers 261 and 263; and retaining nuts 262 and 264 at each end. A horizontal snap retaining arm 266 is freely pivoted at the one end about shaft 260, and includes an intermediate support finger 268 resting on one side of the raceway 56, and the other end is adapted to fall between the upper and lower fingers 254 and 256 with the end resting on the outer end of the base 250 to provide a forward pivotable snap retaining arm 266 at the end of the nest. This arrangement permits the snap fastener gravity fed from the raceway 56 to the nest 58 from leaving the nest, yet permitting the arm 266 to be easily displaced and pivoted upwardly.

An L shaped upper raceway detent arm 270 is pivoted at the one end of shaft 260 and has an angularly downwardly disposed finger 272 on one leg extending in a rest position downwardly into the snap feeding cavity of the common raceway 56, with the other leg 273 attached to the one end of a spring 274, while the other end of the spring is secured to the support bracket 258. This arrangement provides for the spring biased retention of the finger 272 in the raceway 56, to prevent more than one snap fastener from being fed to the nest 58. This also permits the other leg 273 to be pivotably raised and lowered in response to the reciprocating upward and downward movement of lever arm 44 from the control unit 40, when necessary, to permit a retained snap fastener to be gravity fed to the nest 58. An L shaped nest side retaining arm 92 is pivoted at the one end about shaft 260 and has at the '8 other end a thin narrow base member 276 with solid parallel retaining guides 278 and 280 on either side. The base and side are adapted to be pivotably just beneath and to each side of the nest 58 and retaining arm 266. The nest assembly is shown having a male fastener 20a in the nest 58 in a position to be transferred to the sewing machine, and a female fastener 22b in the cavity of the common raceway 56 and retained by finger 272 of detent arm 270.

Directly beneath the nest 58 is shown a snap fastener carrier assembly which includes: a hooked transfer arm and a base 102. The base hasa base cover 287 with a slot 101 on its upper surface, and a circular opening and a slotted opening through which projects vertical prongs 106 and 108 respectively. These prongs are characterized by lower rounded bodies within the base and below the base cover 287, while above the base cover each prong has a squared indent shoulder for seizing and holding the square snap fasteners. Prong 108 within slot 101 is spring biased by spring 282 within the base 102, which spring urges the prong horizontally inwardly to a snap holding position. Prong 108 is forced horizontally outwardly away from the prong 106 upon the forward insertion of a bayonet member 284 on a base 286 through a horizontal slotted portion 289 under base cover 287, which permits the bayonet to be disposed and inserted between the lower rounded prongs 106 and 108 and to force one prong 108 outwardly into an open snap receiving position of the prongs 106 and 108.

FIGURE 13 shows the transfer arm and base with the bayonet inserted and the prongs 106 and 108 in an open snap receiving position. FIGURES 11 and 12 show the carrier assembly beneath the nest 58 ready to receive a snap 20a from the nest with the prongs 106 and 108 on either side of the nest 58 and with the pivot retaining arm 92 pushed backward by the carrier assembly.

In operation the carrier assembly is pivoted through pantographic linkage parallel to the base 38 in an arcuate horizontal plane, the front edge of the carrier base 102 striking the front of the pivotable nest side arm 92 forcing it backward and placing the base 102 in a snap receiving position just below the base 251. Just before or at about the same time the base is placed in position the bayonet 284 is moved forward to force open prong 108, and to place the prongs 106 and 108 in an opened snap receiving position. After the base 102 is in position and the prongs on either side of the snap in the nest the bayonet 284 is withdrawn permitting the spring biased prong to move inwardly and to clamp upon and to seize the peripheral edges of the snap in the nest 58 at which time the carrier assembly is moved forward away from the nest 58 and to the sewing machine feed position.

The plunger or prong opening bayonet assembly ineludes a stepped base support 300, a shaft 302 and 306 having mounted at the one end thereof for rotational movement gears 304 and 308, the other end of the shaft 302 affixed to one end of an upwardly projecting crank lever 310, the other end of the crank lever having a proectmg pin 312 to which is secured a coiled cylindrical spring 314. The other end of the spring (not shown) is secured to the base 41 to tensionally retain the crank lever 310 1n an upward position, and to retain the bayonet assembly in a forward position. One end of a bayonet driving lever 316 is mounted for rotational movement with gear 308 on shaft 306 with the other end downwardly extending in an angular manner through slot 319 of the base 112 and loosely into a circular opening 320 in bayonet base 286. The bayonet lever 316 is inhibited in its forward movement by plate 322 in front of and over the base slot. The bayonet base 286 has rigidly secured at the one end a blunt nosed flat thin bayonet 284 and has thin side extending fins 324 and 326, which fins are disposed for slidable reciprocating movement in response 'to the position of the lever 316 within guide 328 and a similar guide (not shown) secured on the under side of the lower step of the base 112. In a rest position the bayonet 284 is urged forward to project to the left-hand side to the under step of the base 112 and forces open prong 108 to a snap receiving position. Downward movement of the crank lever 310 rotates the gear 304 clockwise, gear 308 counterclockwise, and rotates lever 316 to the rear, thereby retracting the base 286 and the bayonet 284 and placing the carrier assembly in a snap holding position with the prongs 106 and 108 in a closed position.

The downward movement of the crank lever 310 and the retraction of the bayonet 284 together with the return of the spring biased detent finger 272 in a snap retaining position in raceway 56 are accomplished by the downward movement of the lever arm 44. Lever arm 44 has an extension arm 290 beneath leg 273 of detent 270 and has an adjustable screw 98 on an L shaped arm extension 294 in registry with and above the crank lever 310 (see FIG- URE 2). On the reciprocating upward and downward movement of lever arm 44 raising and lowering of finger 272 occurs to permit the snaps to be fed to and withheld from the nest 58 position, while at about the same time crank lever 310 is forced downwardly and returns upwardly by spring tension to retract and extend the bayonet 284 in and out of the carrier assembly slot 289 to outwardly place the carrier assembly in a closed snap holding position and an opened snap holding position.

In the operation cycle a snap fastener is hand placed in the clamping jaws of a sewing machine which jaws are in an intermediate position above the garment on which the snap is being sewn. The. next snap to be sewed on the garment is in the nest 58 in a properly oriented position with the detent finger 272 disposed in the center cavity of the common raceway '56 preventing the line of snaps in the raceway '56 from entering the nest 58. In normal operation the common raceway 56 will contain a full line of snaps properly oriented and in the desired predetermined sequence through the proper selection of indexing cams, while the male and female racew ays 48 and 50 ar full of their respective snaps properly oriented back to where the raceway meets the hopper gates 130 and 149. The carrier base 102 with its prongs 106 and 108 in an open snap receiving position by the insertion of the bayonet 284 is positioned just below the nest 58 with the prongs on either side of the snap in the nest. The operation is started by depressing the foot pedal attached to pull rod 104, which lowers rod 136 and lowers the clamping jaws to a sewing position on the garment. In this position the control unit 40 permits pull rod 164 to move upwardly which activates the sewing operation to sew the snap on the garment.

At the end of the sewing operation the sewing machine clutch is disengaged, pull rod 164 moves upwardly to activate the cam shaft 80 of the control unit 40' again. Pull rod- 136 then moves upwardly raising the clamping jaws and the thread is broken or cut beneath the garment. The clamp release arm 150 is then pivoted to engage the jaw release control which spreads the clamping jaws and releases the snap. At this time, lever arm 44 moves downwardly striking crank lever 310 which retracts the bayonet 284 from the carrier base 102 and permits prongs 106 and 108 to seize the snap in nest 58. The transfer arm 110 then moves the carrier assembly from the nest 58 directly to the open clamping jaws which are not in an intermediate sn-ap receiving position, where the snap is lifted from the prongs by the elevation of the clamping jaws to effect the transfer of the snap to the clamping jaws of the sewing machine for the next sewing cycle.

On removal of the snap from the nest, lever arm 44 is then moved upwardly to strike arm 273 overcoming spring tension and lifting detent finger 272 from the raceway to permit another snap to be gravity fed to nest 58. During this transfer of the snap to the carrier base 102 a new snap is indexed in the raceway by action of control arm 88 in first moving downwardly overcoming the spring tension of spring 228 returning the pivot arm 230 permitting the toe members 192 and 194 to move forward into tht indexing cams 200 and 202 to release and index the desired snap into the common raceway 56. After the snap has been indexed control arm 88 moves upwardly to permit the cams to index forward into the next position and the spring to retract the T slide member and the toe member to a neutral position until the next indexing cycle.

During the intermittent operation of the control unit 40 the center shafts 74 and 76 of the hoppers 43 and 46 are rotated along with arms and 136. The bristles 121 and 138 brush the snaps in each hopper into the grooved peripheral tracks 122 and 141 to stops 12-6 and 144 and out the openings and 149 to the respective raceway. In this manner the cycle is repeated to effect the automatic supply of desired snaps to the carrier assembly for transfer to the clamping jaws and the sewing operation.

Our snap feeding apparatus when operated in conjunction with a control unit and sewing machine permits the rapid automatic orienting, feeding, selecting, and indexing of sew-on snaps to the sewing machine by use of control pedal 104. The apparatus provides for the feeding of snaps in a continuous dependable manner at high feed ratio. The loading of the carrier during the sewing operation shortens the overall operation and enhances the snap sewing output. Our apparatus permits snaps to be fed to a common straight raceway in an oriented position without the need for twisting raceways to invert the snaps.

The apparatus of our invention has been discussed with particular reference to square sew-on snaps, however, it is, of course, apparent to those skilled in the art that the described apparatus may be modified within the capabilities of a person skilled in the art, but within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A snap feeding apparatus for a sewing'machine having snap clamping means which apparatus includes: a snap receiving nest, a feeding assembly including a first hopper for male snap fasteners and a second hopper for female snap fasteners; a common raceway to the receiving nest; a first :and second raceway from said first and second hoppers into said common raceway to provide a slidable path from the respective hoppers to the receiving nest; escapement means to retain the snaps as desired in their respective raceway; indexing means functioning in cooperation with the escapement means to permit the male and female snaps to be fed to the common raceway in a predetermined and desired sequence; and a carrier assembly to grasp and transport the snaps from the receiving nest to the snap clamping means for the sewing operation in a coordinate operation with the sewing operation.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the escapement means includes male and female pivotable members, each member characterized by a toe, a stop, and a finger stop member; and the indexing means includes rotatable cam members having spaces and. lugs in a predetermined sequence whereby the toe members are caused to move in and out of said cam spaces to provide for the retention and release of single snaps within the raceway in response to the position of the toe member with the cams, and means to rotate the cams to the next position after each indexing and escapement action.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second hoppers include: a base; a wall characterized by a gate opening conforming to the outline of a properly oriented snap in a sew-on position, said gate opening leading to the respective raceway; a peripheral grooved track about the base; brushing means to place the snaps in the track; and a stop means to permit the snaps to be squared against the stop and to be propelled out the gate opening by the brushing means.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said carrier assembly includes: a base; a transfer arm for the arcuate horizontal movement of the base from the snap receiving position to the clamping means of the sewing machine and return; prong means to grasp the periphery of the snap in the nest receiving position; and an assembly including a bayonet for placing the prong means in an open snap receiving and closed snap grasping position in response to the position of the base and transfer arm.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said snap receiving nest includes: a forward pivotable snap retaining member; a side pivotable snap retaining member; said forward and side members adapted to enclose the snap in the nest position; and a spring biased pivotable detent finger in the common raceway to retain and release snaps to the nest, and means to move said detent finger in re ciprocating coordinated manner with the carrier assembly.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 which includes a control means to include means for controlling the operation of the motive means of the sewing machine and the clamping jaws; means to engage and disengage the escapement means from the indexing means to permit the release in the desired raceway of a snap fastener and to place the indexing means in position for the following indexing operation thereby providing a properly oriented snap fastener in thedesired sequence to the common raceway in a coordinated manner with the sewing operation; and means to provide for the release and retention of snaps to the snap receiving nest and the grasping of the snap in the carrier assembly whereby said means in combination provides a coordinated feeding of snap fasteners in a desired sequence to the carrier assembly in coordination with the operation of the sewing machine.

7. A sewing apparatus which comprises in combination the apparatus of claim 6 and a sewing machine including a clamping means whereby single male and female snap fasteners are fed in a coordinated desired sequence properly oriented for a sewing operation to a sewing position in the sewing machine.

8. A snap feeding apparatus for a sewing machine having snap clamping means which apparatus includes: a base; a snap receiving nest including a tension biased detent finger; a first hopper as a source of male sew-n snap fasteners; a second hopper as a source of female sew-on snap fasteners; an inclined common raceway to the receiving nest with the detent finger disposed for movement in and out of said raceway to retain and release a snap to the nest; a first and second raceway from said first and second hoppers into said common raceway to provide an inclined slidable path to the receiving nest; a first and second escapement means above said first and second raceway, each means including a pivotable leg member characterized by a toe member, a stop and finger, said stop and finger disposed for alternating movement into the respective raceway to provide for the retention and release of snaps to the common raceway; indexing means to include rotatable adjacent cams characterized by projecting lugs and spaces arranged in a predetermined manner so as to permit the toe members to move in and out of these spaces in the desired sequence; a carrier assembly including a base, a transfer arm for arcuate movement of the base to the clamping means, from the snap receiving nest and return, prong means adapted to grasp the periphery of the snap in the nest receiving means; and an activating assembly including a bayonet for reciprocating movement to place the prong means in an open snap receiving and closed snap grasping position.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 which includes control means including: means to intermittently activate the motive means of a sewing machine to control the operation of the clamping jaw to an intermediate position, to receive the snap, a depressed position to permit the snap to be sewed on a fabric, and an elevated position to break the sewing thread; reciprocating means to permit the toe member to move forward into engaging contact with the rotatable cams and backward to a nonengaging position and to rotate the cams for-the next indexing cycle, and means to alternately, in a reciprocating manner, raise and lower the detent finger in the common raceway to feed a snap to the receiving nest upon the removal of the preceding snap by the carrier assembly, and to slidably move the bayonet in a horizontal plane in a coordinated manner with the position of the carrier assembly about the snap receiving nest.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the first hopper includes: a base characterized by a flat recessed track about its periphery; a peripheral wall characterized by an inverted T gate opening to the first raceway; a rotatable shaft; a downwardly projecting shaft member one end of which is in brushing contact with the track; and a stop extending traversely across the said track the forward edge of said stop in line with one edge of the gate opening whereby upon rotation of the center shaft the male snap fasteners are disposed in the track in a properly oriented position for a sewing operation and are changed from the direction of travel within the hopper to the raceway by being squared by the stop and being brushed out the gate opening.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the second hopper includes: a base characterized by a fiat receiving track having a center groove about the periphery of the base; a peripheral wall characterized by a T gate opening to the second raceway; a rotable shaft, a downwardly projecting shaft member, one end of which is in brushing contact with the track; and a stop extending traversely across the said track, the forward edge of the stop in line with one edge of the gate opening, whereby upon rotation of the center shaft the female snap fasteners are disposed in the track in a properly oriented position for a sewing operation and are changed from the direction of travel within the hopper to the raceway by being squared by the stop and being brushed out the gate opening.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the escapement means include: a first support bracket; an L leg member having a horizontal upper and a vertical lower leg pivoted at the intersection to the support base characterized by the one end by a toe member and at the other end with a slot; a second support base; a U member pivoted at its base to the second support base,.one end of which is in the slot of the leg member and the other end of which includes a downwardly projecting stop finger in line with the raceway below it; a stop member on the upper horizontal leg of the leg member which stop projects downwardly in line with the raceway and spaced apart from the finger stop whereby upon the forward and backward movement of the vertical lower leg member the stop and stop finger are alternatively disposed in and out of the raceway in an opposing sequence to permit the release of a single snap in each cycle to the common raceway.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the indexing means includes: a support bracket; a shaft; cams mounted on the shaft which cams are characterized by a plurality of projecting lugs and spaces adjacently mounted in a predetermined manner; a T bar member for slida bly reciprocating action to which member retains the toe members in a spring biased noncam engaging position; a pawl means to include a ratchet and a lever to permit the indexing of the earns; a notched lever member pivoted at the one end on the base, which member retains the T bar member in a nonengaging position and a driving member connected to the pawl means which driving member and notched lever member are pivotably connected in a spring biased rearward position whereby upon the application of a reciprocating forward force on the T bar lever the T bar member is permitted to slide forward to place the toe members in engaging contact with the cams and upon the cessation of said forward force to return the cam members to a nonengaging position and to index the cams to a new indexing position.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the carrier assembly includes: a curved transfer arm; a fiat base characterized by an opening in said base; a plurality of upwardly extending prongs spring biased in a closed snap grasping position; whereby said base is moved by the arcuate movement of the arm between a position directly beneath the snap receiving nest to the intermediate snap raceway position of the clamping means and back and whereby in the former position the prongs are placed in an open snap raceway position by the insertion of the bayonet into the opening of the base to force apart the spring biased prongs.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein the actuating assembly includes: a base; a pivotable spring biased crank lever; rotatable gears, responsive to the movement of the crank lever; a driving lever; and a bayonet base mounted for reciprocating horizontal movement in response to the crank lever and which base includes a bayonet, whereby the bayonet is retained in a forward projecting position capable of placing the carrier assembly in an open snap receiving position, and which on the application of a force sufli'cient to overcome the spring tension retracts the bayonet to place the carrier assembly in a closed snap grasping position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,358,044 l1/ 1920 Williams 221-168 X 1,409,201 3/1'922 Rumney 221-167 2,228,478 1/1941 Novick 221167 2,921,544 1/1'960 Willis et al. 1l2-113 3,086,486 4/1963 Troll 112-113 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SNAP FEEDING APPARATUS FOR A SEWING MACHINE HAVING SNAP CLAMPING MEANS WHICH APPARATUS INCLUDES: A SNAP RECEIVING NEST, A FEEDING ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A FIRST HOPPER FOR MALE SNAP FASTENERS AND A SECOND HOPPER FOR FEMALE SNAP FASTENERS; A COMMON RACEWAY TO THE RECEIVING NEST; A FIRST AND SECOND RACEWAY FROM SAID FIRST AND SECOND HOPPERS INTO SAID COMMON RACEWAY TO PROVIDE A SLIDABLE PATH FROM THE RESPECTIVE HOPPERS TO THE RECEIVING NEST; ESCAPEMENT MEANS TO RETAIN THE SNAPS AS DESIRED IN THEIR RESPECTIVE RACEWAY; INDEXING MEANS FUNCTIONING IN COOPERATION WITH THE ESCAPEMENT MEANS TO PERMIT THE MALE AND FEMALE SNAPS TO BE FED TO THE COMMON RACEWAY IN A PREDETERMINED AND DESIRED SEQUENCE; AND A CARRIER ASSEMBLY TO GRASP AND TRANSPORT THE SNAPS FROM THE RECEIVING NEST TO THE SNAP CLAMPING MEANS FOR SEWING OPERATION IN A COORDINATE OPERATION WITH THE SEWING OPERATION. 